A New Chosen One
by LiveLikeYou'reDyin
Summary: The air was knocked out of me as I laid eyes on her for the first real time. My birth mother. Zoey calls her pure evil, and from the icy coldness radiating from her body, I didn't doubt that for a second. "Hello, Daughter," Neferet hissed like a cobra...
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first story on FanFiction, and I'm open to ratings and opinions! Thanks!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE HOUSE OF NIGHT BOOKS, CHARACTERS, ORIGINAL STORY-LINES, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. ALL OF THAT BELONGS TO P.C AND KRISTIN CAST!!!**

**Chapter 1**

It was dark, and I knew being outside at this time of night was a bad idea; it was the time when vampyre trackers were on the hunt more than any other time of day. They lurked behind dumpsters, hid in the branches of trees, or poised themselves on rooftops waiting to swoop down and Mark you. Not exactly the kind of world that's safe at night, huh? But, of course, there's no true reason to be afraid; I mean, come on, vampyre trackers only select the_ chosen _kids, the special ones. No one in Broken Arrow is special; well, except for Zoey Redbird, but she's not exactly in BA anymore.

She's in all the stories I've ever heard about Oklahoma vampyres. She was Marked ten years ago and has climbed her way up to High Priestess of the Oklahoma House of Night. No one really knows why her goddess chose her to be the most unique out of all vamps; it just happened. And, from what I've heard, she's totally worthy of it.

Not many humans know as much about the vampyre world around us as me. I've been around it my entire life. My mother, Melanie McIntosh, has a brother whose a vampyre, and he still keeps in touch with us. I love hearing his stories, but I've never wanted to be a part of the vampyre world. It's just too strange.

But now, as I walked home from buying paper for a school project, I knew that I need not worry about becoming a vampyre; I'm definately not a Zoey Redbird. In fact, I'm not even a- Whoa. What was that? I heard shuffling in the bushes that outlined the cracking sidewalk, and then a cat walked out. The feline was small and skinny, with matted black fur and a tail that was crooked. The poor thing was as ugly as a cat could get, but I leaned down to pet it anyway. I've got some softness in me for mistreated animals.

"Kitty, kitty, it's okay; I'm here now," I murmurred to her. That's when I heard the running and looked behind me. What I saw shocked me into stillness. It was an undead- or whatever you want to call it- vampyre Tracker, his sapphire blue Marks standing out against the pale white of his skin.

He came running at me, yelling the ceremonial words I'd heard from my uncle's stories. "Eliza McIntosh! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!" With his last word, a long bone-colored hand pointed out at me, followed by a sudden, terrifying pain in my forehead.

The next thing I knew, black blurred my vision a, sending me tumbling over and landing on my back because of the leaning position I'd been in. Then the tracker disappeared, leaving me alone in the cold blackness of a still Oklahoma night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Oh, oh no. No, no, no," I shook my head as I tried to get up. Had I seriously just been Marked? I mean, the tracker had seemed completely real, but me? Simple Eliza McIntosh with simple parents and a simple life... No way. There was just no way.

I looked down frantically, hoping for a puddle that I could see my reflection in. I was kind of expecting to see a sapphire crescent moon smack dab in the middle of my forehead, but most of me was in denial. I scanned the concrete sidewalk for any trace of water, but then realized something: It was pitch black outside, so even if I found a puddle, I wouldn't be able to see myself all that clearly in it. Well, crap. My purse, which contained my mini-mirror, was at home (I had just slipped the money for the paper in my pocket, not wanting to carry my bulky bag), and I wasn't going to go look in a store window at myself- I mean, come on! People in the stores would freak if they saw a girl with a Mark standing a few feet away from them with only a glass window in between them and her.

"Oh, please, Eliza, this isn't the end of the world. Just run home and look in your mirror. Dang, it's not that hard," I said to myself, and stared jogging home.

My jogging turned into running like a maniac, dodging stray animals as if I were running an obstacle course. People who walked by or rode past me stared, but I didn't care. I wanted to get home and see if I'd really been Marked, if I was really going to have to move to the House of NIght.

What was funny is that when I thought about moving to the House of Night, I turned to my left and saw the school that would be my home- if I was right about being Marked and hadn't imagined the whole thing. The school's gates loomed over me like prison bars guarding a cell, only, behind these bars was a huge campus that looked like something straight out of a fairytale. The buildings were like castles, and the greenery was like a mystical garden. The school's wall blocked out a lot of it, though, so I could only see the top of the school and a bit of the landscaping without going up to the gate and peeking in. Being curious and wanting to see more the amazing fairytale-come-true, I slowly made my way to the gate.

As soon as I got there, I gasped. Someone was standing right there opposite me, looking me straight in the eyes. She was beautiful, and power radiated from her. Her long dark brown hair hung over her shoulders like a blanket, and her beautiful Marks stood out against the pretty pale of her skin. Her outfit was as amazing as her beauty; she wore a long black satin dress with silver outlining the gossamer sleeves and the V-neck.

She noticed me staring in awe and smiled. "Hi. It seems as if you've been Marked, but I'm guessing your family doesn't know about it yet. Would you like a ride to your old home to get your things? Oh, and I'm High Priestess of the Oklahoma House of Night, Zoey Redbird Stark." The High Priestess's voice rang out like bells, and I was surprised at how nice and kind such an astonishingly beautiful person could be. But, then again, nice or not, all vampyres were beautiful.

Then reality hit me. I was standing outside of a school's gates staring wide-eyed at Zoey Redbird, the most extraordinary vampyre of the race. I tried to smile and- surprisingly- managed to say something that sounded half-decent and almost calm.

"I- I'm Eliza... McIntosh. I was just M-Marked. I'd love a ride. Thank you."

_Oh, gosh, Eliza, _I mentally scolded myself, _How will you manage a thirty minute ride with such a powerful and famous person? You can barely manage talking to teachers..._

Zo- I mean High Priestess Redbird- grinned and opened the iron gates that blocked me from her. "Then come on in," she laughed, "And don't be so nervous; I don't bite." I laughed nervously. Was that supposed to be a joke? Vampyres bite people to feed, don't they? Anywho, I was a new fledgling, and I honestly didn't want to hear any biting jokes. I was nervous enough as it was, despite having a vampyre uncle and knowing the ins and outs of this world.

She led me onto the campus of the school and into the parking lot that was filled to it's capacity with vehicles. She led me gracefully to a hummer and hopped in, opening the door for me before she got in, though.

"Thank you. Um, aren't high priestesses supposed to have a chauffeur and like, a guard or something," I asked. I was pretty sure a... What did they call it? A Son of Erebus? Yeah, that's it. I was pretty sure a Son of Erebus was supposed to protect them.

She glance over at me in the passenger seat while she was pulling out of the parking lot and grinned. "You know a lot about vampyres, huh?" I nodded. "Well, technically, I do have a Son of Erebus and a chauffer, but I prefre driving myself. I'm like a principal, and I don't necessarily like people considering me as royalty or something. I don't need a chauferr if nobody else does."

That made _me _grin. A humble priestess. Who would've thought?

"That's really great, High Priestess Redbird," I said.

"Call me Priestess Zoey. And, my last name isn't Redbird anymore. It hasn't been for a few years now. It's Stark."

I stared out my window, confused. Hmm... She got married. _That's cool, _I thought as we rode past a park and a drug store_, Women in power usually consider themselves too independent to get married. _Then I gasped. Again.

"Stark! James Stark! The red vampyre! My uncle told me a story about you and him once! He was, like, bad, but you saved him!" I got another smile from Priestess Zoey.

"Yes, I did." She became thoughtful, probably recalling a memory from that day.

I looked out the window again and wondered about how she knew where my house was, but then I remembered that vamps could read minds. She was probably going through my mind right now, looking up my address. Before I knew what had happened, she jerked the car over to the left in a ditch and stared at me, eyes wide and mouth half-open. I was holding on to the door for dear life and breahing hard as I took in the seriousness of her expression. What was going on? Had she found out anything bad about me while reading my mind? I don't think I had anything to hide, well, except for that one time I stole one hundred dollars from my dad to pay for a speeding ticket...

"I... I was thinking you reminded me someone, and then, and then when I was going through your mind to find out where you live... Your dreams. Neferet's in them." I knew who she meant by Neferet; and I also knew that something must be wrong with her for Priestess Zoey to become shocked when seeing her in my mind.

"I... I defeated her." I almost fainted in shock.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Priestess Zoey defeated Neferet, the woman who invades my dreams but I never would've guessed really existed. At most, I thought she was someone I knew in a past life. Apparently not.

Struggling to regain myself, I asked the only thing I could think of at the moment, "How do I remind you of her?" Thinking back, that was actually a pretty important question.

The priestess- _my _priestess- narrowed her eyes at her window, staring blankly into space. There was a stop sign beside us and a few bushes, but nothing much to stare at, really. Then she looked at me and answered. "Your hair... It's thick and wavey and the color of hers- the same auburn color. And your eyes... Well, they're just so green! But- but the way your features are shaped reminds me of someone else. I can't put a finger on it right now."

I thought about the dream person who spoke to me so many times. Usually the dream was set in a clearing in the woods with nothing but the full moon illuminating the night sky we were always in. She'd be sitting in a huge throne-like chair, and I'd be sitting in front of her in a smaller one that was silver and carved with intricate designs; hers was identical but gold. Once, in a dream a few weeks ago, she mentioned something about me being special.

"Eliza," she'd said my name in that kind, mothering voice of hers, "You do not know how deeply unique you are. You have bloodlines like no other, Sweetheart. I only hope you realize this."

Okay, so I felt a little cynical about what she'd just said. I didn't feel unique or specail, and my bloodlines certainly weren't like no other. Well, they were if you called an Irish mom and a French dad unique. But, other than that, we were extremely ordinary. Interesting things didn't happen at my home. We were just... simple.

"I'm not special. The only thing special about me is... well, you. You being here is special. I've never met you, but it feels like I know you," I whispered, staring at a leaf that was swirling in the wind, intently thinking.

I was pretty sure no one else had dreams about this woman who called herself Neferet. She always talked about how special I was and how she was going to help me realize it; she said I was part of an important family. Sometimes she'd tell me stories or let me talk about my troubles freely. Her advice always seemed so wise. So, that's why I considered her the special thing about me; I mean, up until today, I thought she was just my conscience or a figment of my imagination or something.

"No, Eliza. You are special in your own way. The power of night and blood rests within you; your soul mingles with the darkness. You feel it. When you get mad or need to make an important decision, don't you feel that burning within you that keeps you going, cools you down, and helps you decide?"'

She was right. I always felt a tingling in my stomache- now I'd say it was in my soul, because I could never truely pinpoint it- when I was stressed out. I thought it was normal; I thought it was my mind telling me what was right and what was wrong. I was half right.

"That feeling is us. Your bloodline. Telling you what to do. Listen within, and nothing can go wrong..." was what she'd said when the dream faded to black.

"Well, Eliza, it doesn't matter. It's just a coincidence. Nothing unusual. Well, let's get back on the road and get to your house," Priestess Zoey's resolve snapped me out of the memory of the dream and I nodded, still thinking about Neferet. She did remind me of me; we had the same hair and eyes. She had been real. Zoey had defeated her. She came to me in my dreams. I'd just been turned into a fledgling. Oh, okay, wow. Today was too eventful for me.

Then, to make matters worse, we pulled into my parent's driveway. And I would have to tell them goodbye.


	4. Chapter 4

**Everyone, in Chapter 1 where I said Zoey had been Marked ten years ago, it should have said she'd been twenty-four. So, she's been a full vampyre for twenty years! 'Kay? Sorry. My mistake. Oh, and tell me if this chapter's length is better than my last three! **

**Chapter 4**

Zoey put the Hummer in park and looked over at me expectantly.I just sat there, staring at her with pleading eyes. Moving to the House of Night and away from my family was one thing that broke my heart... But seeing my parents' faces when they heard I'd be moving out? That broke my heart even more. They'd be crushed, disheartened, desolated, op-

"Are you going to get out? You're starting to look sick... We need to get you around more adult vampyres or-" I cut her off.

"Or I'll reject the Change and bleed my guts out?" I know what happens when your body doesn't adapt well to the Change. Blood starts pouring from almost every hole in your body: your eyes, your nose, your ears, etcetera. I'd hate breaking the news to my parents, but I'd hate someone breaking the news to them about my death even more. I hastily unbuckled my seat belt and climbed out of the car.

Jumping onto the driveway, I realized I felt really, _really_ bad. Like I had an advanced version of the flu. Was I dying? Without warning, a violent string of coughs hit me, sending me crouching on the ground. Zoey rushed over and put her hand on my back.

"You're not dying, Eliza. We just need to get you out of here and to the House of night before you do. So, please try to get up and get in there. I'll explain while you pack, and then you can come say your goodbyes. You'll still see them when we have parent visitation, and you can even visit them outside the House of Night sometimes. When I was a fledgling, I did a lot of visiting."

I finished my coughing and looked up at her. She was strong and beautiful, powerful and confident. If she thought I could deal with this, then I could. I struggled to stand up, but once I was in a vertical position, I knew I'd be okay. It was strange, like being with someone so powerful made _me_ stronger. It was probably just wishful thinking on my part, but I went with it. It's better to believe you're absorbing power than loosing it.

We made our way up the driveway the few yards to my front door. I opened it and urged Zoey inside. She smiled and walked in, closing the door behind her.

The aroma of a freshly cooked roast hit me like a train. My mom's favorite Friday Night meal. I have no idea why. I heard my dad in the office typing away and making calls, and I could guess that my little sister was in her room talking on her cell to her little ugly boyfriend. But her abominable choice in guys wasn't enough to take my love for my baby sister away. A pang hit my heart. I would miss this place. Very, very much.

"Liza, Honey? Are you home? Could you come help me cook the mashed potatoes while I whip up some dessert? I'm thinking Grandma's famous triple chocolate cake..." Mom's voice trailed off as she continued with her cooking, probably imagining a huge chocolate cake sitting in the middle of our maple wood dining room table.

Okay, so a big part of not living here that I'll miss is my mom's cooking. She's the best cook in all of Oklahoma. Her meals and sweets are her pride, which is why she's won dozens of food contests in our region. I'm proud to say I'm excited for dinner and breakfast every day. My mom has got some serious chef-like skills.

"Um, Mom! That's not gonna really happen... I- I have someone here to talk to you. I'll be up in my room for a few," I yelled through the living room and into our modern kitchen. Then I spun around and looked at Zoey again. I hoped my countenance when I stared helplessly back at her wasn't making her think of me as a wimp. That's the last thing I want...

"Don't worry. I'll handle it." She smiled compassionately at me and made her way to the kitchen just as Mom was saying, "What? Huh? Eliza Marabell McIntosh, what are you talking about?"

", I have some sad news for you, although such an amazingly talented young girl is a great addition to our House of Night..." was all I caught before hurriedly stumbling up the stairs to my first-door-on-the-right bedroom.

I was coughing violently by the time I'd opened two suitcases on my bed and was running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to pack my things. The warning spun around in my head. _We need to get you around more adult vampyres or... Or I'll reject the Change? _I knew time wasn't on my side at this point, but I had a feeling that Nyx would help me, give me more time to put myself together, to accept this. But, no, I wasn't like Zoey. I wasn't special to anybody, not even Nyx. Well, maybe to Neferet, but I was starting to have bad feelings about her.

"No! My little girl is _not_ going off to some vampyre high school!" It was my mother's voice. She was speeding up the stairs, and her Oklahoma-tanned face was probably blown up in a pout. My dad was about two steps behind her, judging from the loud _stomp_ I was hearing a couple seconds after her light feet hit the floor. I could only guess that Zoey was behind them trying to talk some sense into my family. _No such luck_, I thought.

God. I ran my hands through my long wavey hair and rubbed my forehead as I threw a purple knit sweater into my bag. Today was getting really bad. My parents were bound to go into withdrawal fits without me around; I was their life. My father loved coaching my school's soccer team, of which I was South Intermediate High School's shining star, and my mother liked shopping and talking with me, not to mention her constant baking during fundraisers for the PTO. What would these people do without me? Hang out with _their_ friends instead of spending their time planning and doing things for me? Not likely.

My door slammed open and a rush of people came in. Mom was angry. Very angry. So much so that her face had actually turned red, which is hard for her skin tone. Daddy (Yes, I'm sixteen, and I call my father Daddy. I'm a dork.) looked serious and troubled, and Zoey... Well, Zoey was looking pretty frustrated and like she was taking pity on me. Ugh.

"Mom," I whispered, walking over to her and hugging her. She instantly squeezed me back. "I love you, and I'm sorry. But I have to go. I'll... I'll die if I don't leave. We can still visit. I'm not leaving the galaxy," I joked. I got a laugh from that, and she pushed me a back a bit to take a long, thoughftul look at me. I caught the scent of her perfume as her hair swayed when she moved. I'd miss that, too.

"Eliza." Her voice broke for a moment. I noticed the streaks on her face and tears rimming her light brown eyes. "I love you, too. I'll call and write and visit. Will you?" I nodded.

She smiled and kissed my cheeck, giving me a gentle shove towards Daddy.

"Eliza. You're destinied for great things, vampyre or human. Remember that, Sweetie Pie. I love you, and I'll see you soon." His stong arms cradled me in a bear hug, and tears flooded my eyes, spilling over my bottom lashes and onto my cheeks. I glanced up and saw that he, too, was crying.

I broke the emotional embrace and looked him in the eye, smiling. "I won't forget that. Love you, too, and see ya' ASAP." He laughed, and I gave each one of them one more quick kiss on the cheek, then made my way to Zoey, who had zipped up my suitcases during our extremely sentimental goodbyes. I attempted a smile, but a nasty fit of coughs hit me like a baseball bat to the forehead. Painfully.

"We have to hurry, Eliza." My priestess' voice was full of concern. We took three stairs at a time, and I couldn't stop myself from looking back at my open door. Daddy was holding Mom's heaving body, wiping up her tears with his tie. My heart ached, but I had to trust that this wasn't the last time I'd see them. I was making it to the House of Night in one piece. No blood was leaving these ears and eyes any time soon. My next raging fit of coughs, though, wanted to contradict that.

Zoey ignored the cough, knowing I knew all to well my fate if they continued, and turned the subject back to my parents. Sort of.

"You're lucky they care so much. When I was Marked, my parents labeled me as Satan's spawn and barely had a thing to do with me afterwards. The one time they visited, they gave me Hell. Excuse the language," Zoey said to me as I slammed the front door behind me. I laughed out loud. With everything that had happened tonight, I could care less about the "language" she used. Actually, I thought it was pretty cool that the High Priestess was using curse words. It made me feel... I don't know, _closer _to her? Zoey had to be at least forty, but she looked twenty _and_ she cussed? Coolest. Teacher. Ever. Even if I never cussed.

"Well, hop on in. I'll throw your stuff in the back." She looked at me, analyzing how much time I had left before walking to the back door of the Hummer. It had been about an hour since destiny had hit me. I figured that that wasn't too long, but the sooner I was around more vamps, the better. One vampyre alone can't keep everything in balance in a Changing teenager's body. Don't ask me why; ask the scientists.

I buckled my shining silver seat belt while Zoey got in on the driver's side and started the automobile.

"So, um, how was coming into the school for you?" I hoped my attempt at a casual conversation would work. I wanted to seem at least semi-verbal. I hadn't really said anything without her lead, yet.

"It was extremely nerve-wracking, but it was okay once I met my roommate. You'll have a great roommate, trust me. I assigned you to her. Her former roommate just... Passed away." It was silent for a few moments. I didn't want to think about a kid who'd died had once been sleeping in the bed that was going to be mine, so I broke the silence.

"Who is she? My roommate, I mean."

Zoey stopped the car at a red light and looked at me, her smile bright and radiant. "Savannah Colt. Stevie Ray- my best friend and the first Red vampyre ever- and John Colt's daughter. John was turned into a Red vampyre shortly after my husband, Stark, for his affinity for fire. It was very rare, expecially in a male. Neferet thought it was very strange, and decided she needed him to join her pack of minions." The light turned green, and Zoey continued on to the school. The second her words reached Neferet, they took on a connotation of disgust. I wanted to know more about Neferet, when a voice whispered in the back of my mind.

_Don't ask, Child. It is none of your concern. Focus on your roommate. Not Neferet. It's not important. Not right now. And she is not to be discussed with Zoey._

I held in a gasp at the man's wonderful, silken voice. It was like he was an angel, the most beautiful man in the world. His voice literally said everything about him... And it scared me. The voice was too candy-coated, too sickeningly sweet. I shuddered.

"Are you okay? Did you hear me?" Zoey's worried tone helped me to temporarily push the mystery man's voice to the back of my head. I followed his rule, though- I didn't speak of Neferet.

"Oh, sorry. Yes, I heard you. I was, um, just remembering one of my uncle's stories about Stevie Rae. What's Savannah like?"

"Well, she's like her mother, only she's way less country, has better style, and darker hair. Other than that, she's just as sweet and caring as her mama. Stevie Rae's so proud." She laughed at this, so I did, too.

"Oh, here we are." I looked up through the glass over the dashboard. My mouth fell open as the gate spread open. The full few of the House of Night was more magical than I'd thought it'd be from the first glimpse I caught earlier during the night.

The moon cast a shadow on everything, and the flickering gas lights gave the place a medieval vibe. An aura of mystery yet contentment ran throughout the school, although I had the feeling that mystery was the bigger of the two here. Tall oaks and a brick and stone wall surrounded the premises, giving the feeling of being in another world, a place independent from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the city the school was located in. I'd thought that all of the mystery here had been discovered and taken care of by Zoey and her friends, but maybe they had new secrets hidden in the shadows of the House of Night. But honestly? I didn't want to find out what those secrets were, if any.

The sound of the Hummer's doors unlocking brought me back to what was going on and dissolved any suspicions of secrets and enigmas that may be going on here. I clicked the seat belt and slipped out, jumping from the large car happily. I was feeling better already. Vampyres are great remedies for us fledglings...

I was already thinking of myself as a fledgling. Whether or not to take that as a good sign, I did not know. _Okay, so, yeah, taking that as a good sign would be the right thing to do_, I thought, _seeing as I'll either stay a fledgling and turn into a vampyre or die. _

Zoey walked over to me, my belongings in tow, and grinned. She must be one happy person. Every time I looked at her, it was like she was cheesing for a camera. Maybe not exactly every time, but still. The lady smiled a lot.

"Ready to walk into your new home- the girls' dorm?" I gulped.

_Please let them like me, God or Nyx or whoever is my Higher Power right now..._ I silently prayed to myself as we walked beside the wall and up to the girls' dorms.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Pay attention to Eliza and Savannah's birthdays! They'll be important later on! Oh, and Savannah IS NOT lying about her feelings for Dakota! Well, here's the fifth chapter! Read, enjoy, and review! :)**

**Chapter 5**

Call me stupid for thinking I wouldn't make friends, but, honestly, if you saw the way these kids looked, you'd feel intimidated, too. Their hair was long and glossy, flowing over their shoulders like red, brown, blonde, and black waterfalls. Only, silk flowed from these waterfalls. And the pattern of these falls were in elegant ringlets, lucious curls, and sleek straight strands. I lifted my hands and finger-combed my auburn waves that had frizzled from the damp night. I was feeling totally self-conscious.

Each new set of eyes that stared at me, looking me over (They were alreay judging me, Gosh!), were bright as the ocean and sky and trees and, well, just nature itself. They were deep, too, deeper than a human's eyes can get. Fledgling eyes showed you the kid's soul, or so you'd think. It just added to their impossible beauty. The fact that once they finished Changing, they'd be even more beautiful was hard to believe. Lucky bunch, huh?

It was weird to think that _I _was a part of that bunch, that _I'd _end up being _that_ beautiful. Heartstoppingly beautiful. I had doubts in myself, though. I felt like I'd never be able to compete with them. After all, who would actually think that they could be as pretty as a vampyre? Well, probably a lot of the vain cheerleaders out there, but not me.

Zoey led me through the ocean of my perfect peers and headed up the stairs that, presumably, led up to the actual dorms. I gulped as we got closer to my new room. My new home. And not a home _away_ from home. My new _permanent_ home. Until I Changed. Or died. An image of me, lying on the floor, doubled over in pain, blood rushing from every part of my body, covering the floor around me and giving the room a reddish tint came to my mind. I could picture my lungs collapsing, sending a horrible gurgled cough of death through my lips at the same time. Pushing that macabre thought aside, I settled on thinking about my roommate. Savannah Colt.

Was she a total and complete good-girl like her mother? My uncle's stories of a strong new vampyre who had control over the earth made me think of someone strong and firm, yet kind and vulnerable. If Savannah was like her mother, she was bound to be a great person.

"Eliza, I was thinking, since you're legally emancipated once you move into this school, you're free to change your name. Would you like to," Zoey asked as we rounded a corner. There were more doors, lining both walls.

Hmm... Did I want to change my name? I definately didn't want to change my first name. Eliza fits me well and not a lot of people I know have the name. My last name? McIntosh. It's unique, but I hate it. I've always wanted my last name to be McArthur, after my favorite character in a book I read when I was little. The character, Zia McArthur, was strong and confident, not to mention pretty and wise. "Eliza Marabell McArthur. I want to change my last name to McArthur." I smiled at the name. It was definately uncommon.

"Then that's your new name. Remember not to put McIntosh on your papers. Oh- Here we are." She stopped in front of a pretty white door with a fancy silver knob on it. After a couple of knocks, the door opened. There was a petite girl with short curly blonde hair and dimples standing in front of us. Savannah, I guess. She smiled, revealing her perfect white teeth. Her red Mark stood out like a sore thumb.

Savannah must've noticed me staring, judging from what she said to me. "Red vampyres are allowed at the House of Night now, thanks to Zoey." Wow. Her voice was country. Really country.

"Just like her mom," Zoey whispered to me. I nodded. Then a thought struck me.

" I thought vampyres couldn't have kids. I thought that was why they had to be Marked."

"Red vampyres can. It's weird. That's why you never see a newly Marked kid with a red tattoo. They have to die and be brought back or born the old-fashioned way," Savannah answered. "Anyways, I'm Savannah. And you are?"

"This is Eliza McArthur," Zoey grinned at me when she said my last name,"She's your new roommate. I was thinking that you needed some new company in here, and something seems special about Eliza. She's my fledgling. Remember how I said I would mentor the next person to be Marked?"

"Yeah. I thought you were just sayin' that. I guess I was wrong. But, Eliza, you're so lucky to have Zoey as a mentor! All the kids who get her are lucky. My last roommate was her student." Savannah's voice faltered at the mention of her ex-roommate. I cleared my throat and changed the subject.

"So, um, well, I guess I can move in now?"

Savannah's face brightened up again." Sure! Let me help you with your stuff." She grabbed my bags out of Zoey's arms and walked into the room, throwing my things on a bed to the left of hers, closest to the open bathroom door.

The room was nice. A huge window was on the eastern wall, giving us a clear view of a courtyard and a beautiful garden and fountain with what I guessed was the vampyre goddess, Nyx, carved into it. Water flowed from her cupped hands, symbolizing Nyx as the heart of life. It was beautiful.

There were two beds with two nightstands beside them. Savannah's side was filled with green. Green sheets, a green lamp, a green chest, and a green laptop. She had a poster of Taylor Swift over her bed and one of Taylor Lautner over her desk. I loved both Taylors, so I was liking Savannah's side.

"Hey, Savannah?" I walked over to my bare bed and sat down. She was putting some earrings on.

"Yeah?"

I looked over to the window, and noticed half of it was covered in green curtains.

"I'm thinking that I should do my side of this room blue, so do you mind if we put a blue curtain on the other half of the window? It would look cool."

She spun around, beaming. "Me and you are gonna get along great!"

Zoey, who had been standing in the doorway smiling, said, "Well, it looks like I should leave you two to get to know each other better. I have to tend to Eliza's schedule and emancipation papers. Till then, you can just try to get used to our schedule, because normally you'd be sleeping by now. You should try to stay up the rest of the night- or the rest of the day, for us- so you can go to sleep tonight- or the morning as you've known it- and get up tomorrow. Then you'll be on schedule without sleep as an issue. Can you do that? Stay up all night?"

I thought about it. I wasn't tired, like I'd been when I was coughing. I felt much, much better and more energized. I could handle some more hours of staying awake. "Uh, sure. I can just unpack and everything. I guess. When do classes start?"

"For everyone else who ain't new, they started a few hours ago. Eight PM to three AM. The normal seven hours you've been used to. It's about eleven thiry now, and I'm about to eat lunch in the dorm. I came back to get some stuff, so I'll make it a quickie in the dorm, not the dining hall," Savannah answered, her deep accent making me smile. Zoey caught the thought. Vamps are _so_ intuitive!

"Like I said earlier, she gets the accent from- you guessed it!- Stevie Rae." With that, she left, laughing lightly to herself.

Savannah was blushing. "She's right, ya' know. Well, I have to get goin' so I can get some lunch. Do you want to come? I'm guessing you didn't eat any lun- er, supper."

"Sure, and, yeah, I missed dinner with all the, um, _excitement_."

"Ha. Being a vampyre is pretty cool. You can't be much older than me. I'm a third former, like you. But I've been going to this school for eight months. When's your birthday?"

"My birthday's June first."

Savannah stopped cold and stared at me. "W-when is your birthday?"

"Uh, June first." What was up with the way she was acting?

"Mine's June first, too! This is so weird!"

Not really. I didn't see what was "so weird" about it. "I guess. Haven't you ever met anyone with your birthday?"

"Well, duh," she said as we walked down the stairs to the little commons area, "But it's just weird how my roommate has the same birthday as me, don't'cha think?" She looked over her shoulder at me, gleaming. Then she looked back down and started making plans for what I'd do the rest of the day. "Okay, so, you can probably find something to do after lunch while I'm in class. I mean, we have a rec room and there's the library and the computer room in the dorm. Plus, you'll need to fix up your side of our room, and then you'll probably go to Zoey to get your schedule. And then you'll probably want to take a little tour to find your classr-" I had to stop Savannah. She was talking faster than the speed of light.

"Okay, okay. First, I'll call my mom to bring my car to the school. If she will at this hour. Then, I'll go to Home Depot or Lowes or somewhere to get some stuff for my room. If they're even still open. When Zoey gives me my schedule, I'll ask her to show me around. Don't worry, Savannah, I won't be bored."

Smiling, she said, "Okay, sorry. It's just that when I first got here, I already knew everything about the school. Ya' know, since both my parents went here. I just figured if I'd been Marked like the rest of you, I'd want some advice. Okay, there's the kitchen." She pointed to my left at an arched entrance that led to a room full of refridgerators, tables, sinks, and cabinets.

"Tell her no tot expect to find anything good," a girl with long golden ringlets said as she munched on a ripe red apple.

"Gigi's right," Savannah said, grimacing, "I don't really know if Zoey told you, but all they feed us is health food. And it's all I've gotten to eat since I was born. Literally." She grabbed a banana and some bread. Then she walked to one of the huge industiralized fridges and pulled out a plastic bag full of lettuce, some tomatoe slices, ham, and a bottled water. "But- if you want something semi-good-you can just eat something like a sandwich. If you get the cheese, though, it tastes too healthy. It's from some weird foreign country, I think." I got a ham and cheese sandwich, and once we were situated on a couple of stools at a big counter in the middle of the room, I gagged at the taste of the cheese. Foreign. Does. Not. Replace. Kraft. Because Kraft isn't as healthy as everyone thinks. Whatever this cheese was, _is_ healthy.

"So, Liza, do you think that you would- Oh Goddess!" Her words came to a stop when someone made a grand entrance into the kitchen. And I do mean a _grand_ entrance. The guy was wearing some designer jeans and an even more expensive green sweater, the same color as his amazing eyes. They were like... Like a Granny Smith Apple. And his hair was dark brown and stylishly messy. It obviously took him a while to reach that unkempt perfection. His skin was the hot kind of pale on a guy, which brought out his dark eyes and hair even more. Oh, and his body was just... Wow. His sweater showed the outlines of his muscular chest and arms and his flawless abs. He, himself, _was_ flawless. I tried not to drool.

What made his entrance so grand, though, was the smile on his face and the way he walked. I swear, that smile was about as perfect as it gets and could light up the entire world if we all lost power. He glided into the room gracefully, but not the girly kind of graceful, and he could've been confidence personified.

"Who is _that_," I whispered to Savannah. She took a minute to stop staring admiringly at him to answer me.

"He's Dakota Ryker. Insanely nice, polite, _hot_, and a total romantic. He's a fourth former." She sighed happily and resumed swooning over Dakota.

The only other girl eating lunch in the dorm kitchen besides Savannah and me, Gigi (who seemed to say whatever was on her mind) said, "Ugh. Dakota. Why are you in here? I was having a great day..." I tried not to think about how her "great day" was actually happening during the nighttime. The clock said it was already close to midnight. It was freaky.

"I was coming to talk to Savannah. I couldn't find her in the cafeteria. So I decided she'd be in here. The fact that we broke up two months ago doesn't give you a right to act horrible to me. I wish you'd move on. And remember, _you_ broke up with _me_. Not the other way around." His voice was as perfect as his looks. It was strong and deep, but not rough and mean. It made me feel safe. I shivered. And Savannah looked stunned. I guess he didn't speak to her that much. Gigi was glaring at him.

"Y-yes, Dakota," Savannah stammered like a little girl.

"Ah, Savannah. I needed to talk to you about drama. The class, not my ex-girlfriend's drama over me." Everyone except Gigi and me laughed.

"Oh, well, what about it? We're picking partners today."

"I need to talk to you about-" he glanced at me,"people, and I thought we could be partners so we could talk. Plus, you're pretty cool. That okay?"

"Sure. See you in class."

"Cool. Bye. And, nice to meet you... What's your name?" Dakota was looking at me questioningly.

"Eliza McIn- McArthur. Eliza McArthur." I smiled to cover up the way I forgot my new last name.

"Nice to meet you, Eliza McArthur. I'm glad you're here." I thought I saw a double meaning in his friendly grin, but I was probably just imagining things.

"Bye, girls," he called before we heard the door to the dorm slam shut.

Wow. I shouldn't be feeling this way about him, but I couldn't help feeling physical pain when he left. It was like I'd lost a part of something that was supposed to be with me as he walked out of the dorm. But... Savannah was obviously crushing on him. It would be wrong for me to like the object of her affections.

"Um, do you... You don't... Do you like Dakota," I stammered.

I was about as surprised as a person could get by Savannah's reaction, which was almost choking on her sandwich. "What?! No! I mean, he's hot and all, but he's not my type. Being his partner in drama is awesome because I just wanna be his friend. But you? He likes you." She grinned at me over her bottled water.

I narrowed my eyes. "That's a lie! He doesn't even know me."

Gigi cut in while texting someone off of her marron enV3. "Nah, it doesn't matter if he doesn't know you. He's one of those freaks who believe in love at first sight. And his sights are set on you. Did you not see the way be looked at you?" By then, she was looking up at me. Her face was perfect and her golden threads of silk outlined her features. There was something in her bright blue eyes that made me cringe. Pain. She was hurting over their breakup. How could I do anything about Dakota when Gigi (who, for some reason, I considered a friend) still loved him? Then again, _she _broke up with _him_...

"Gigi, can I ask-" I was cut off by the shriek of a bell.

"Oops- Sorry. We gotta get to class," Savannah said, picking up her leftover food and throwing it down the garbage disposal.

Gigi stood up and wiped crumbs from her Sub off of her. "Well, it was nice meeting you, McArthur. Tell Dakota I hate him when he asks you out." She smiled, shook my hand, and left.

"Excuse her, she says whats on her mind. Exactly what's on her mind," Savannah said, laughing.

"See you later."

"Yeah. If Dakota says anything 'bout ya', I'll tell you." Her bright smile left me in high hopes for a good day... Or night. Or whatever.

I walked back up to my room and unpacked. It took a long time because I was thinking. I'd just met Dakota... Was it possible for me to have a relationship with him this soon? No, I'd think about that later.

Because right now, someone was knocking on my door. I sighed and trudged over to the sound. With a yawn, I pulled the door open. "Hi, Eliza. I need you to come to my office. I have something important to discuss with you," Zoey, who'd been the one to knock, said.

"Sure, hold on. I just wanna put my hair up." I ran my fingers through my thick hair and pulled it up into a messy pony-tail. "I'm tired, and when I have my hair up it helps me think. I'm strange, but then again I guess that's why the House of Night was my 'destiny'." Zoey didn't laugh. Instead, she pursed her lips and forced a fake smile. Oops. I guess she didn't like people mocking destiny.

"Destiny is destiny, whether you're strange or not. I've had to come to terms with it. But," she paused, opening the door wider for me. I stepped through it onto the carpet of the hallway. "I really do have to talk to you. It turns out something happened while we were going through your files. Um, when we get there, you may want to sit down."

Sit down? _Sit down_?! Was she _trying _to give me a heart attack? I could feel the sweat starting to bead down my face. Did someone I know die? Am I an alien? Am I not in any records? Do I have cancer? Anything was possible after tonight. Getting Marked was enough of a surprise for the rest of my life. Any other thing I thought impossible was definately possible if _that_ was.

Even though I was obviously going insane with worry, Zoey laughed. "It's not that bad, it's just..." her face screwed up in an awkward grimace while searching for the right word, "Unexpected on your part, I'm sure." She wasn't laughing or smiling anymore; she was staring at the floor. I have a very brave high priestess, right?

"Oh." I gulped. I was so busy worrying, I didn't even notice her open the door to the dorm when we'd gotten downstairs. The cold air that hit me in the face told me she had. I looked up into the inky night sky, admiring the lights. The stars were out, casting a beautiful illumination over the school's grounds. I sighed happily as we started walking on the sidewalk. The cement had cracks in it, and in the cracks moss was growing. It reminded me of the ravishing green ivy making its way up the bricks of the school. I didn't understand how this one place could be so magnificent while the rest of Tulsa was so... bland. Well, I thought it was bland, at least.

"Okay, well, after we turn this corner, we keep going straight to the door, then we take the first door on the right on the second floor, and that's my office," Zoey said. I guess she was trying to help me to know where her office is if I ever needed to go there. That was nice of her. Most principles just expected you to know.

"Um, 'kay, got it. Thanks for giving me sort of a tour," I said, feeling stupid. Why did I say it was 'sort of a tour'. It wasn't anything like a tour!

Well, once again, I got a laugh out of her. _I bet it's because she thinks I'm an idiot_, I thought. Her laughter stopped, and she glanced sideways at me. "No, I don't think your stupid. And, no I can't exactly _read _your mind, but right now I can see it in your face. Plus, I'm good at guessing feelings."

"Oh," I said during a hysterical laughing fit.

We were at the big oak door, and Zoey opened the large silver handle. The warmth that flooded us felt good, so I walked in without waiting for her to say anything. She came in after me, but I was already walking up the stairs that were smack-dab in the middle of the wall, surrounded by doors. The room itself had some couches in it and a few flat screen TVs, with an area that looked like a snack bar.

The second floor was a maze of hallways, with rooms on both sides of the main one. I turned to the right and opened the first door.

"You're fast, you know?" Zoey closed the door behind her. I stared at the room. It was pretty big with a huge mahogany desk and a purple swivel chair behind it. The desk was covered in papers and books, but a sleek computer was the focal point. All of the walls except one were covered in bookshelves. The other wall was covered in frames. Most of them held photographs of a young Zoey hugging or laughing with an elderly woman who seemed to be very wise. It was strange that I got that from the picture, but I just did. The woman's hair was long and gray and silky, her eyes held creases from smiling. Her wrinkles weren't that bad, but they were definately apparent. Yup, she looked wise.

Between all of the pictures was a huge bay window with padding and pillows on the window seat. The moon shone through it, lighting the place up. Of course, the moon wasn't needed that much because there were already lamps lit. The natural light mixed with the potted plants on the tops of the bookshelves and her desk made me feel cozy, like Mother Nature was wrapping her arms around me and telling me everything would be all right. I sighed.

Zoey smiled and walked to her chair, sitting down gracefully. She took a few deep breaths and told me I'd probably want to sit down on one of the big purple chairs opposite of her. I did as she told me.

"Now, Eliza, tell me about the stories you've heard of from when you were born, if any," she said calmly and firmly, scaring me a bit. What was she going to tell me? My stomach knotted up, making me lean forward some. I _hate_ getting scared or nervous.

"Um, uh, well, my mom always used to tell me how they brought me home from the hospital, and the first thing I did when they opened the door was smile," I said, recalling Mom rocking me in her lap by the fire, telling me that story over and over when I was about four of five.

"_And then, we got out of the car. We had to be careful, though, with our tiny little angel," _ My mom would nuzzle her nose against mine then, and I'd giggle. "_We walked up to the front door, and Daddy fished for his keys in his pocket. The four seconds it took him to open it seemed like forever. But... when he did, your face lit up. You smiled so bright it nearly broke my heart."_

_ "Mommy, bweaking your heart isn't good. Doctors has to fix bwoken hearts," _I protested. I'd fely guilty for almost hurting her, although she quickly smothered any guilt I may have felt.

_"No, no. That kind of broken heart was good. It broke off any part of my heart that ever felt bad or hurt or sick, and it was like I was a new person. You saved me." _She'd hug me, and I'd hug her back.

"Well, Eliza, what I actually meant was any stories about when your mother actually gave birth to you," Zoey said, diffusing my very sentimental memory.

"Um," I took a minute to think about it. I didn't remember hearing any stories about my birth. Or seeing any pictures. Usually kids have pictures from when they were born that they try to get their moms to burn because they don't want anyone seeing them naked. I didn't have any worries about that, though, because I didn't have any pictures like that. "No, actually. I've never been told any stories about that."

"Has your mom or dad ever spoken about it at all, then?"

"No. I've heard them talk about when they first saw me, but that's it. Now that I think about it, it's kind of unnatural for them never to have spoken about it."

"Eliza, take a deep breath, okay? And promise me you won't faint or scream or anything. Young girls usually don't handle things like this very well."

Oh, God. Oh, God! She was making it sound like she was going to tell me I wasn't really born, that I was just some kind of science-experiment-gone-wrong. Well, no way was I making any promises about not fainting now! "Can't promise that," I whispered. I could feel my throat closing up, which meant I was going to have a panic attack if she didn't tell me what was up soon.

"Well, you were um," she stopped and fumbled through some papers on her desk. I counted my breaths. "Just hold on. I want you to take a look for yourself."

Eleven, twelve, thirteen... My breathing was becoming more stable, and my throat felt open again.

"Oh, here it is." Pushing a strand of black hair out of her face, Zoey motioned me to look at the paper that was pointing my way on her desk.I could handle this, whatever it was. It wouldn't be that bad. Or at least I kept telling myself that.

I bent my head down a little and looked at the sheet. For a few seconds, I had no clue what I was staring at. There were signatures and dates and times and an agreement. I scanned the agreement over and over until what Zoey was trying to tell me made sense. Then it hit me like a bus.

"Oh God," I screamed, then slapped my mouth shut with my hands. All of the questions Zoey had asked me, the differences between my parents and I, the reason there were no pictures of my mom holding a little pink version of me in her arms on a hospital bed pieced themselves together. I felt the tears swell up and boil over.

"Z-z-Zoey," I choked out. My head starting spinning, and the colors in the room began to smear together. I couldn't tell where Zoey was anymore. Her screams of my name filled my ears, but it was more like a background noise.

"Zoey, why did nobody tell me," I murmured before feeling myself fall to the floor and seeing nothing but utter darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"She'll be okay," a male voice whispered above me. I was still passed out, and I didn't really want to gain consciousness. Not after I'd found out that my parents had adopted me. That paper had been a part of my adoption papers. It was like that one piece of paper confirmed all of my unspoken suspicions. I shivered in my dazed state.

"She shivered, though. Doesn't that mean something's wrong," I heard Savannah ask softly. Her country-ness made me smile in my sleep.

"Dakota is right, she'll be fine. She just smiled," Zoey assured them. Did she say Dakota? Dakota was over my passed-out body? Who knew how bad I looked right then, sprawled out on the floor! I made my eyelids flutter open.

"Eliza," Savannah breathed, crouching down suddenly to hug me. "Are you okay? Do you pass out a lot? I thought you'd had a seizure!"

"No," I answered, pushing her off of me gently. I didn't want to make it seem like I didn't want her there, though, because I did. "I just found out that my parents aren't my parents." I sighed at the confused look on her face. "Zoey didn't tell you? I was adopted."

"Oh, Goddess, Eliza, I am _so sorry_! I had no idea! Dakota and I thought that... That... Well, I don't know. But your parents should have told you instead of you finding out by someone you don't know. No offense, Zoey." Her worry and sincere look made my heart melt. She really cared about me. I didn't think I'd make friends here, but I already had the best.

"None taken," Zoey insured.

"Eliza, do you want me to help you up," Dakota offered. Okay, this is where I started acting out of line. I wasn't weak at all, and I definately could have gotten up myself. Pushing what I really _could_ do aside, I coughed purposely and nodded.

"Thanks so much," I whispered coarsely. It was an act. I just wanted to see if I felt anything when he put his arms around me.

"You're welcome," he smiled. He leaned down and laced his arms around my waist, smoothly pulling me up. And, yes, there were sparks. They were undeniable. I wanted to stay there forever, but then he unlaced his arms and held my shoulders in an attempt to make sure I was firmly planted to the ground.

"Your parents just wanted to protect you. Chances are they never met your birth parents and didn't want you out searching for them," he told me. I hated how he'd said _birth parents_. It made me feel so... Adopted. Not the most creative diction, but still. I'd only had a few minutes to get used to the fact that I'd been adopted. I couldn't accept it. I didn't even _want _to accept it.

"But... But they should've have met my... my birth parents, right," I asked, feeling helpless.

"If they adopted you from an orphanage, then no, they wouldn't have met your birth parents," Zoey said.

"An orphanage? They got me from an _orphanage_?"

"That's what the papers said. I guess your mother was unable to have children."

"But... She made it seem like I was theirs. I mean, I know I look different from them, but-"

"-But nothing. To them, you _were _theirs. You shouldn't be mad at them for not telling you. They didn't want to make you feel like you were missing out for never meeting the people who actually... Um, created you, I guess you could say."

_But_, _Dear Child, you've known your birth mother your whole life. Have I not visited you in your dreams? _Her voice snaked across my mind, and I felt a cold sensation in my head. Neferet was telling me that I was her daughter! I gasped and began to fall.

"Oh, no ya' don't." I felt Dakota catch me. I barely paid attention to his warm, strong hands and the feelings his touch gave me.

I forced myself to not faint. "Zoey! I have to talk to you. Alone," I told her frantically, yet firmly. If Neferet was my mother, then who was my father?

"Yes, we need to talk. If... If you're thinking what I'm thinking, then you're wondering who your father is. And I have a conjecture." She gave me a serious, all-knowing look, and I knew she knew who my father was. I also knew that somehow, we were going to have to make sure of it. My mind was going to go through some serious crap to do that, I was sure.

"So you want us to go," Savannah asked. I looked at her. She seemed sad to have to leave, but I was pretty sure she needed to go to class.

"Savannah, I'm sorry. But you and Dakota need to get to class," I told her weakly. "And I need some rest after I talk to Zoey." Again, I was lying; I didn't need any rest. All of this drama had me wide awake.

"Okay, Liza..." her voice trailed off as she quietly closed the door behind her and Dakota.

I stared at Zoey and felt the tears rolling down my cheeks. It was so silent in the room, I probably could've heard them splash onto the ground if I'd been listening. Her smile was small and barely there as she patted my back and urged me back into the soft lavender chair.

"Now, Eliza, I know this is hard for you to digest, but-" I blurted out what I'd beent thinking without even considering the fact that I was inturrupting my high priestess.

"Neferet's my mom! She told me! She's not just visiting my dreams anymore! She and some guy tell me stuff, like... like life lessons or something! Please tell me you don't think that's true!"

"I'm going to be frank with you. I believe Kalona is your father, an evil immortal who I defeated at the same time I banished your moth... Neferet. At the same time I banished Neferet." Her mouth twisted on the word mother, and I felt myself flinch. I knew my mom had to be very dang damnable to have done it with an evil immortal. So, was I damnable by association?

_I hope not. _

"The problem is, I'm having trouble believing all of this." Zoey wasn't the only one.

"And I'm not?"

"No, no, of course you are, but," she stood up and walked over to one of her book shelves, "I think we need to make sure. Have you ever been able to call your parents- your birth parents- on your own?"

I had to ponder that. Neferet had visited me in my dreams many times before, but I'd never been able to call her on my own to speak with her. Why did she want to come on her own time, and why didn't she come that often? Why is she beginning to speak to me when I'm awake? And why am I only _now_ hearing from Kalona, who is apparently my father? Too many questions, too little time. But... If I could somehow talk to her without her making the first move, could I find out? I had to try. Hopefully, Zoey would have the answer to _how_ I would do that. I shook my head in answer to her question.

As it turned out, she had more questions than answers. "Oh. Well, if you could, it'd be interesting to know when she had you. I didn't think she was pregnant when I banished her, but she had to be since she'd never met Kalona until then, or so I thought. Maybe she somehow got to him without him being freed from the Earth? Who knows, honestly? I think... I think we should experiment with this, though."

"Zoey! How would we do that? And, why are you so calm about this? I am freaking out," I screamed. How else was I going to let my feelings out? This was an impossible situation.

She looked out of the window then down at the book she'd picked from the shelf. I tried to read the spine of it. The light from the moon that was shining through the window helped. The words were in a beautiful calligraphy and were printed in gold. _Schlaf: Mythen des Siebzehnten Jahrhunderts. _I had no clue how to pronounce the title or what it meant, but I was pretty sure the words were in German. The cover was bound in leather and some of the seams were loose and ripped, which made the large book look ancient and full of wise words.

"Sleep: Myths of the Seventeenth Century. The title is in German, as are the chapters. But I studied German for a while after becoming a high priestess. It's good to be quadrilingual, to speak four languages. I can speak English, Spanish, French, and German. All of which I learned to speak during my time as a new vampyre and high priestess. That was a digression from the point, however, so let me explain why I picked up this book of myths on sleep." She slowly sat down at her desk, flipping through pages and smiling when she came to the one she was looking for. I leaned forward, intrigued by the book and the ominous feeling of the night as an owl hooted, and the moon's light seemed to dull. Zoey flipped on the lamp sitting beside her computer and began to read the passage.

"_Dreams are a part of sleep that many of us have experienced. We can fly, dance, fall, and follow through with our wildest fantasies in these successions of images and thoughts that pass through our mind while we go through the phase of inactivity and inertness. Many people and scientists have posed the question of whether or not it is possible to "visit" people in their dreams. Carlo Carpochelli, a seventeenth-century philosopher, said that one night while resting, a friend appeared in his dreams. Carlo said that, 'His presence was true, and he was undeniably there, within my thoughts, my dreams. I have come to believe that there may be more to life than life itself. Dreams.' "_

_"More to life than life itself? Dream-walking. A myth of which very few people believe to be true, but many wish to be true. Carpochelli was the first to report dream-walking and probably the first person to consider it. One of the theories that come with this myth is that angels or demons can speak to you through your dreams, or even people in other realms."_

Zoey looked up from the book, studying me curiously. "This is where your problem comes in. Kalona is an immortal fallen angel, which more or less fits the description of angels that can walk through your dreams. I'm pretty sure I banished them into another realm, if possible. And you're definately not imagining this, which is why I consider this book truthful. I wanted to read that part to prove to you that you're not the only person to have experienced dream-walking, though. The next one I'll read is how to do it yourself, or a theory on how to do it, since nobody can unless they have a deep connection to spirit of some kind. I've tried, though it hasn't been successful. I guess my connection to spirit may be strong, but not strong enough." She sighed and seemed saddened for a moment, but flipped a couple of pages and began reciting again.

"_There have been no reports ever accounted for on someone walking into someone else's dreams, though many ideas have surfaced throughout history. It is said that dreaming is deeply connected to a person's spirit and that to dream-walk, you must have a deep understanding or bond- which may or may not be known by the person doing the dream-walking- to spirit. Once the bond or understanding has been established, according to Mario Vespulianochi, dream-walking can be easy, almost second nature to the person."_

_"The steps to accomplish walking into or conversing to the person's spirit or self through dream-walking is simple, under the conditions of being connected to spirit in an enhanced way. The first step is to make sure your dreamer is actually asleep. After that, think of that person deeply, picture them, imagine their voice, things they've said to you, places you've been with them, etcetera. Soon, you should feel the person's prescense, a sensation Vespulianochi described as 'Indescribable. Feeling a person within yourself or yourself within a person. You can't deny or miss the feeling. 'Tis the mark that you have accomplished walking into a peron's dreams.' Of course, this was just a theory he came up with after serious thinking and self-exploration. It could be true, howvever no one has ever been as deeply connected to spirit as an angel or person from or in another realm."_

"Hence the fact that Neferet- a person in another realm- and Kalona- a fallen angel _and_ a person in another realm- can visit your dreams," Zoey said, stopping in her reading once again. "You probably won't be bound to spirit deeply enough, but it's worth a try. For you to call to Neferet in her dreams. Or, maybe you can ask her when _she_ comes to _you_."

"No," I responded, almost automatically. I didn't know how I knew this, but something told me that the person who was asleep couldn't control the conversation within the dream. They _are_ asleep, so it was acceptable that it would be impossible to be in control unless _you_ were the person walking into the dream.

"What?"

"The person who is doing the dream-walking has contol over what's discussed in the dream. Even if I wanted to ask, I couldn't if she was in my dream. I'd have to be in hers. If I was there, she couldn't change the subject. She'd either have to answer me or stay silent." Oh. My. God. _How did I know that? _It was as if someone else was speaking through my mouth, as if I'd become the new beacon of dream-walking. As_ if _I could guide anyone on their dream-walking quest! I'd only just learned about it even being a published theory!

"Good point, it makes sense. How you know that is questionable, but we'll go with it."

"Yeah. But, if the person has to be asleep, how are Neferet and Kalona talking to me while I'm awake?"

_Like this, Daughter? Why must you speak with Zoey on this matter? Her concern, it is not. You are my heir, the person to continue my visions of a world controlled by Kalona and I. This. Is. Your. Destiny. Not teaming up with Zoey Redbird-Stark to once again defeat a couple who only wanted to save the universe of a blindsided world with the inhabitants vulnerable and uneducated on the evils of the world. Zoey shelters, keeps the people ignorant. Kalona, myself, and you, young Eliza, can inform._

I felt myself tense and let out a gasp. She was listening in on my conversations, telling me to go against Zoey! I desperately wanted to tell Zoey about this, but I knew if I tried to speak about it, I couldn't. Neferet wouldn't let me. Somehow, she had partial control over me. And it scared the heck out of me.

I knew this was wrong, but a part of me- probably a part being manipulated by Neferet or Kalona or both- wanted to do as she told me, to not talk to Zoey about it and plot against her by letting Neferet tell me what to do. Being strong wasn't just an option for me right now, it was a way of living on my own terms, as crazy and insand as that sounds.

"Enhanced power, maybe? I have no idea, but dream-walking is as close to an explanation I can give you right now. Let me read the next steps on how to dream-walk."

"Okay."

"_The third step to dream-walking is making sure your dreamer knows that you are there, within the person's mind, conscience, and spirit. Send your thoughts out to the person. When their physical form appears in front of you, they are 'awake' and aware. You may speak to them as you wish. Once you've finished, think about where you were before the dream encounter and about the person being alone. In a few seconds, you'll find you're by yourself or at least not with the dreamer any longer." _

_"Once again, no one has ever done this, and this is just what Vespulianochi believed to be the steps of dream-walking. He is, of course, a person from the seventeenth century who listened to and believed Carlo Carpochelli, and both of them may be wrong. Dream-walking is just another myth of sleep that people would like proven true, but probably will never be experienced by anyone, because it is a legend, fairy-tale, myth, or whatever you wish to call it."_

Zoey marked the pages she'd read from and closed the book. I was outraged. "How could they completely blow off the idea of dream-walking like that! It's true, and those guys were obviously highly intellectual!"

She stayed calm and answered me with a contradiction. "Would you not have called it a myth and thought of Vespulianochi and Carpochelli insane and in need of mental help if you hadn't experienced this yourself?"

I ignored her question. "Who has those kinda' last names, anyway," I mumbled, crossing my arms and scowling at a large green plant that was growing in the vertex of two of the bookshelves.

"Eliza, that doesn't matter. I used to be just like you. I would have felt the same way, but the author blowing off the idea of dream-walking is totally beside the point! The point is that we now have something to go by."

Something to go by? "What do you mean?"

"We're gonna get some answers. You're going to visit Neferet's dreams."

"WHAT?!" This was what I had wanted, but now that I had a possible way to do it, the reality of it hit me. I didn't want to travel into another person's dreams. Especially Neferet's.

"You're going to visit Neferet. See when she had you, what happened to her, what she wants, why she didn't keep you..."

"And if it doesn't work?"

"Then we're back to where we started in Plan: Find Out Eliza's Family History."

"Crap."

"Eliza, you need to be a bit more willing to do_ different_ thingsto be a fledgling with parents like Neferet and Kalona."

` "And you need to be a bit more considerate of how freakin' freaked I am, and that you probably would say a huge 'heck no' to trying this!"

"Touche."

Personally, I was fighting a panic attack, and I had no idea what to say, how to say it, or what to do. Visiting Neferet was a huge step now that I knew she was my mother. My real mother. Which brought a whole new problem to my mind, a mind of which was now a tangle of problems and questions. Telling my adoptive mother, the woman who'd been there for me my whole life, seemed impossible. When she heard I knew, it would probably crush her and Dad. Hearing that I'd sort of found my birth parents would crush them even more. To top all of that off, the knowledge of my seeking my mother out through her dreams would give Mom a stroke and Dad a heart attack. I ran my hands through my long ponytail and closed my eyes.

"Zoey, why do I feel like an official alien with sucky birth parents?"

"Because you have sucky birth parents. But you're not an alien. You're part angel, even if your father was a fallen one, I guess. Like they say, the cup's either half full of half empty." I opened one eye and noticed Zoey looking out of her window again, ruefully smiling. It made me feel like she had more problems than me or either a guiltier conscience. Being the nosey person I am, I dug deeper.

"Zoey, is something wrong? I know now that I have major life problems, but you just seem to have a bigger chip on your shoulder than me." I silently prayed that she wouldn't ignore the question with a smile and a wave of her hand.

Sighing, she turned to me and answered. The look of utter sorrow in her eyes frightened me. "I feel so guilty and responsible for this," she waved her hands towards _Schlaf: Mythen des Siebzehnten Jahrhunderts _and myself. "For you never meeting your parents and being adopted! If I'd never banished them, maybe you would have lived a normal life!" Tears were rimming her eyes, making her mascara run a little. I sat there speechless.

"And now, you've been Marked, and your life is changing, and I don't have any real answers for you!"

Once again, I couldn't form words. Zoey Redbird-Stark was having an emotional breakdown in front of me, a kid she'd barely known for six hours. Her face was redder than a cherry, red from guilt, anger, sadness, or a combination of the three. This was so not what I had expected from her.

"Zoey, I don't need answers right away!" I wanted to make her happier, but there was only one way to get her mind off of her guilty conscience. There was only one way to fill the hole inside of her, to fill it up with the answers both of us needed. "I'll try the dream-walking!" I gulped as the tears stopped pouring from her eyes.


End file.
